Process for production of permanent effects in cotton fabrics



Patented Dec. 19, 1922.

GEORGES HEBERLEIN, OF WATTWIL, SWITZERLAND, ASSIGNOR TO HEBERLEIN PATENT CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK,

N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

PROCESS FOR PRODUCTION OF PERMANENT EFFECTS IN COTTON FABRICS.

No Drawing. Application filed September 1, 1921,

Serial No. 497,743. Renewed November 15, 1922.

Serial No. 601,039.

(GRANTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE ACT OF MARCH 3, 1921, 41 STAT. L., 1313.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGES HEBERLEIN, a citizen of the Swiss Republic, and a resident of Wattwil, Canto of St. Gall, Switzerland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes for Production of Permanent Effects in Cotton Fabrics (which im rovements are described in the following Eled applications, i. e., German application Ser. No. H. 65355, filed Feb. 13, 1914; patent of addition #292,213, granted May 26, 1916; German application Ser. No. H. 68470, filed May 19, 1915; Patent #295,816, granted Dec. 18, 1916; French aplication Ser. No. 83050, filed Apr. 21, 1916;

atent #481,561, granted Sept. 23, 1916; British application Ser. No. 6218 of 1916, filed May 1, 1916; Patent No. 100,483, granted as of May 19, 1915; Belgian application Ser. No. 225,208, filed June 24, 1919; Patent #280,937, granted (not yet issued) Italian application Ser. No. (have none), filed May 4, 1916; Patent #154,095, ranted June 5, 1916; Austrian application er. No. (have none), filed 'Apr. 29, 1916; Patent #81367, granted Sept. 25, 1920), of which the following is.a specification.

My invention relates to a process of treating cotton fabric to produce wool-like ef- 'fects.

In In United States Patent No. 1 141,872 granted June 1, 1915, I have described and claimed a process of treating cotton fabric to produce permanent wool-like effects, by first mercerizing the fabric and then treating it with concentrated sulphuric acidof less than 51 B. It was described in that Ipatent specification that if cotton fabric w ich has been mercerized and also preferabl bleached, be subjected to the action of su phuric acid of from 49 to somewhat under 51B. (the best action being5 obtained between 49% deg. and deg. the marcerizing lustre disappears, and instead of the transparenc obtained with the hi her concentration 0 sulphuric acid, the fa ric assumes a fine light crepe-like nature, whereby it appears fuller, more wool-like, softer, and is generall im roved and it has imparted to it somew at the character of fine woolen stuff, such for example as fine thin wool muslin.

It was also pointed out in that patent that the treatment could be utilized in the method described for producing pattern effects. It 55 was pointed out that pattern effects could be produced on lain fabrics by printin on mercerized fabrics with sulphuric acid of say 50 B. and Washing out after action has taken place; or that a suitable resist 6;) such as gum thickening could be impressed on portions of the fabric in such a way as to protect the parts not to be acted upon by the acid, and then the entire fabric dipped into sulphuric acid of the aforesaid concentration, and subsequently washing the fabric.

I have also discovered that the wool-like qualityof the fabric mentioned in said Patent No. 1,141,872 is also obtained if the cotton fabric is first treated with the sulphuric acid of from 49 to 50 B., then washed, and without stretching, mercerizing the fabric caustic alkali, such as caustic soda. The latter process forms the subject matter of my co-pending application Serial Number 497738 filed on even date herewith.

The latter process is distinguished from that described in the aforesaid patent,- in that the said wool effect is obtained acoording to the process of the aforesaid patent, regardless of whether the mercerizing is carried out with or without stretching, whereas in said latter process where the mercerizing is carried outafter the acid treatment, the proper wool-like efi'ect takes place only when the mercerizin is done without stretching.

I have furt er discovered that the said wool-like effect is obtained if in carrying out the above described processes, the treatment with sulphuric acid is replaced by a treatment with phosphoric acid of 55 to 57 B., or with hydrochloric acid of the specific gravity of 1.19 at low temperature (as for example below 0 C.) or with nitric acid of 43 to 46 1345., or with zinc chloride solution of 66 B., at 60 to 70 C." or with Schweizerssolution, with a short reaction er'iod.

In this application for Letters atent I aim to cover the above described processes wherein Schweizers solution is utilized in conjunction with the mercerizing process instead of the sulphuric acid. The remainder of the improvements herein described are covered by other of my co-pending applications and patents.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that when the cotton fibres are treated as herein stated, the fibres are chemically structurally changed by each treatment, and it is a characteristic of fabrics treated according to my process, that the fibres are chemically structurally changed, and that the changed or altered condition of the fibres is permanent, i. e., will withstand repeated laundering so that the goods may be laundered without eliminating or materially altering the characteristics of the fabric above described, and this greatly enhances their value.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. Method of treating cotton fabric to produce a fabric in which the fibres have been chemically structurally altered to give to the fabric a different and pleasing appearance which is permanent, which method comprises subjecting the fabric to two chemical treatments, one a mercerizing treatment, and the other a treatment with Schweizers solution to differently structurally change the fibres, the fabric being subjected to one of said treatments after the other, and after the treatment with Schweizers solution washing the fabric.

2. Method of treating cotton fabric to produce a fabric in which the fibres have been chemically structurally altered to give to the fabric a different and pleasing appear ance which is permanent, which method comprises subjecting the fabric to two cheniical treatments, one a treatment with caustic soda which will chemically structurally change the fibres, and the other a treatment with Schweizers solution with a short reaction period.

3. Method of treating cotton fabric to chemically structurally change the fabric so as to produce the described wool-like ef fect, which method comprises subjecting the fabric to two chemical treatments, one a mercerizing treatment,'and the other a treatment with Schweizers solution to differently structurally change the fibres, to produce said wool-like effect, and after the treatment with Schweizers solution washing the fabric.

4. Method of treating cotton fabric to chemically structurally change the fabric so as to produce the described wool-like effect, which method comprises subjecting the fabric first to a mercerizing treatment. and thereafter to a treatment with Schweizers solution to difi erently structurally change the fibres to produce said wool-like effect, and then washing the fabric.

5. Method of treating cotton fabric to chemically structurally change the fabric so as to produce "the described wool-like effect, which method comprises subjecting the fabric first to a mercerizing treatment with caustic soda, and thereafter subjecting it to a treatment with Schweizers solution with a short reaction period, and then washing the fabric.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

GEORGES HEBERLEIN.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,439,521, granted December 19, 1922, upon the a lication of Georges Heberlein, of Wattwil, Switzerland, for an improvement in recesses for Production of Permanent Effects in Cotton Fahrics, errors appear in the printed specification requirin correction as follows: Page 1, lines 28 and 29, strike out the words process 0 treating cotton fabric to produce wool-like effects and insert instead prowess fortgroduutimi of permanan: efi'ects in cotton fabrics; same page, line 72, for e ex ression 50 read 51 and that the said Letters Patent should he read with t iese corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiice.

Signed and sealed this 3d day of April, A. D., 1923.

[m] KARL FENNING,

Acting Gonwm'ssioner of Patents. 

